Don’t slam the door on a public conversation about modernizing our schools

Toronto – The GPO is calling on the Liberal government to open the door for a public conversation about modernizing our schools by establishing a public commission to examine merging the best of the Catholic and public education systems.

“It’s wrong for the Liberal government to slam the door in the face of school boards, parents and students who want to talk about modernizing our schools,” says GPO leader Mike Schreiner. “We owe it to students to ensure that our schools are safe for all children and respect the diversity of our society.”

Yesterday, Education Minister Laurel Broten stated: “There are school boards that have advanced a desire to have a local conversation with respect to a merger. We have indicated to them that is not a conversation we’re willing to embark upon, and one that does not respect the constitutional rights of Catholic education.”

“Our Constitution is not a barrier to equality,” says Schreiner. “We cannot accept the Minister’s plan to close schools and cut services while prohibiting a conversation about merging the Catholic and public school boards.”

Since the Constitution Act of 1982, provinces have enacted 10 constitutional amendments. Five have involved education rights, 4 of those affecting denominational education rights. Section 43 of the Constitution prescribes the methods of passing and enacting these amendments.

The GPO supports a fair, financially responsible and high quality education system that does not fund one religion at the exclusion of all others.